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Herculine #2
The Book of Spirits
In his first novel, the national bestselling The Book of Shadows,James Reese beguiled readers with a boldly imaginative, darkly erotic tale of awakening that introduced the captivating and deeply unusual Herculine. Now this extraordinary writer continues Herculine's incredible journey of self-discovery -- a search that will lead her into a world of shadows and perils, where she will taste the forbidden and find redemption.
September 1826. Taught to trust ... and to learn by a quartet of remarkable saviors, Herculine is bound for America, leaving behind a strange and violent past in France for an uncertain future in an exotic new land. Arriving in Virginia, Herculine is led by fate to Mother-of-Venus, a mysterious old slave woman who is blessed with gifts both terrifying and strange, and to a young poet named Edgar Poe who is haunted by evils of the past. Under the mystical guidance of Mammy Venus, Herculine soon calls upon her powerful legacy to rescue Celia, a beautiful, damaged slave. Landing in the coastal wilds of Florida, Celia stirs passions -- and dark, otherworldly powers -- within Herculine, propelling them into an erotic obsession that only the missing witch Sebastiana d'Azur can break.
Hope comes in a missive that will lure the desperate Herculine north, to the chaotic streets of New York and a strange, magical house in which the confused and eager witch is accepted by a band of like-minded sisters and introduced to exquisite carnal pleasures. Finally loosed from the shackles of shame and desire, Herculine heads south once again to find salvation and fulfill her destiny.
Set in a time of promise and peril, bondage and bloodshed, James Reese's lush, richly atmospheric, and beautifully told tale shatters the boundaries between the living and the dead, the magical and the ordinary, the imagined and the historical. A novel of the mind and the senses, The Book of Spirits is a mesmerizing and unforgettable work from an exceptional talent.
September 1826. Taught to trust ... and to learn by a quartet of remarkable saviors, Herculine is bound for America, leaving behind a strange and violent past in France for an uncertain future in an exotic new land. Arriving in Virginia, Herculine is led by fate to Mother-of-Venus, a mysterious old slave woman who is blessed with gifts both terrifying and strange, and to a young poet named Edgar Poe who is haunted by evils of the past. Under the mystical guidance of Mammy Venus, Herculine soon calls upon her powerful legacy to rescue Celia, a beautiful, damaged slave. Landing in the coastal wilds of Florida, Celia stirs passions -- and dark, otherworldly powers -- within Herculine, propelling them into an erotic obsession that only the missing witch Sebastiana d'Azur can break.
Hope comes in a missive that will lure the desperate Herculine north, to the chaotic streets of New York and a strange, magical house in which the confused and eager witch is accepted by a band of like-minded sisters and introduced to exquisite carnal pleasures. Finally loosed from the shackles of shame and desire, Herculine heads south once again to find salvation and fulfill her destiny.
Set in a time of promise and peril, bondage and bloodshed, James Reese's lush, richly atmospheric, and beautifully told tale shatters the boundaries between the living and the dead, the magical and the ordinary, the imagined and the historical. A novel of the mind and the senses, The Book of Spirits is a mesmerizing and unforgettable work from an exceptional talent.
534 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 2005
19 people are currently reading
417 people want to read
About the author
James Reese
23 books86 followersJames Reese was born on eastern Long Island. He attended the University of Notre Dame and the State University of NY at Stony Brook, where he received an MA in Theatre. As an undergraduate, he had a play staged off-Broadway at the Actors Repertory Theatre. While living in New York, New Orleans and Key West, Reese held various jobs in the non-profit sector, working on behalf of the arts and the environment. He has also lived and traveled extensively in France. Presently, James Reese splits his time between Paris and Tampa, Florida, and is working on more novels. Additionally, he has just published a Shakespeare-themed app called Shakespeare300 offering concise (300 word) intros and synopses, as well as infographics, of all Shakespeare's plays. More info can be found at www.shakespeare300.com
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
April 25, 2008
This was a wonderful read if you like suspense with a dash of paranormal.
October 17, 2008
Even better than the book of shadows. More ghosts, rites, & sex and more of that transgender protagonist who was so intriguing. I hope this author keeps going!!!
March 13, 2013
Not as gripping as the first but slowly got better as I made my way through. Looking forward to reading the 3rd.
June 7, 2021
I rarely write reviews but this one needs it. While reading this second installment of the series, I found myself echoing the same sentiment another reviewer shared: I do not care about any of these people.
It was a far cry from the first book (The Book of Shadows), which had its interludes of erotica but for the most part, actually told a story that was interesting. The first half of The Book of Spirits seems to be smut for smut's sake - which is fine if that's what the author/readers are after - but not at all entertaining to those of us looking for a continuation of Herculine's saga. Quite honestly the treatment of Eliza Arnold was downright vulgar, and I'm difficult to offend. A lot of that served absolutely zero function in forwarding the plot and I can understand why some readers closed the cover and walked away without persevering to the end.
The second half of the book returned to the same flow followed by The Book of Shadows, with an actual plot that seemed to serve a purpose. The only downside is that it felt rushed to get it all in. Definitely feels as if this second installment were written in two different points in time, including the rush to resolve the fates of characters introduced in the first half of the book.
Holding out hope that the third book (The Witchery) redeems the series.
It was a far cry from the first book (The Book of Shadows), which had its interludes of erotica but for the most part, actually told a story that was interesting. The first half of The Book of Spirits seems to be smut for smut's sake - which is fine if that's what the author/readers are after - but not at all entertaining to those of us looking for a continuation of Herculine's saga. Quite honestly the treatment of Eliza Arnold was downright vulgar, and I'm difficult to offend. A lot of that served absolutely zero function in forwarding the plot and I can understand why some readers closed the cover and walked away without persevering to the end.
The second half of the book returned to the same flow followed by The Book of Shadows, with an actual plot that seemed to serve a purpose. The only downside is that it felt rushed to get it all in. Definitely feels as if this second installment were written in two different points in time, including the rush to resolve the fates of characters introduced in the first half of the book.
Holding out hope that the third book (The Witchery) redeems the series.
September 30, 2025
What I Did Like:
+American history well told. While it’s not, by any means, the point of this book the focus on slavery and other American historical struggles was well done. The main character, being new to the states, was the perfect vessel for learning all of this information.
+The historical aspects were well researched and fit timelines. It may not always be clear why they’re included but they at least fit.
Who Should Read This One:
-Fans of historical fiction and witchcraft who aren’t afraid of erotic scenes.
My Rating: 2 Stars
For me the lack of depth to the characters and the dry historical aspects were problematic.
For Full Review: https://alltherightreads.com/2025/09/...
+American history well told. While it’s not, by any means, the point of this book the focus on slavery and other American historical struggles was well done. The main character, being new to the states, was the perfect vessel for learning all of this information.
+The historical aspects were well researched and fit timelines. It may not always be clear why they’re included but they at least fit.
Who Should Read This One:
-Fans of historical fiction and witchcraft who aren’t afraid of erotic scenes.
My Rating: 2 Stars
For me the lack of depth to the characters and the dry historical aspects were problematic.
For Full Review: https://alltherightreads.com/2025/09/...
August 20, 2023
Beautiful writing, some fascinating supporting characters, and a wonderful journey through early American history, but Herculine was very hard to like in this book. Also, the story felt more timid, less sexual than the first, and yet more stained with violence and cruelty.
October 7, 2008
I liked how the book started out, I was curious to see where Herculine was off to after she left France. Though the book was fun to read it started to get a little slow for me, I had to really push myself to finish it. I can't say I particularly like how it ended - seemed like James Reese could have done without stretching it out so much. I may or may not read his next, The Witchery, depends on how desperate I am for reading.
July 22, 2009
I couldnt finish this book. I have had maybe...five books in my life that I couldnt bring myself to finish and this was one. It was redundant and the entire storyline was just...unrealistic even for this author. In the first book, Book of Shadows, I thought of the main Char as a girl. I couldnt make the switch in this book, nor could I quite grasp the obsessions in this volume. This book made my head hurt and was all over the place. Skip it. The story should have ended with Shadows.
January 23, 2014
Long, full of details that really don't add to the book. I had to make myself finish the book. I really wanted the book to be good. I wanted to know how the characters ended up.. but I was disappointed. At this point, I am not sure if I am even going to read the third book. And I hate that feeling.. but it takes so much to read these books... the writing is hard to get through.. honestly it is not worth the time or the effort
December 5, 2008
The sequel to Reese's Book of Shadows, the plot just gets weirder in this one. Though I finished it, I won't be looking to pick up the third in the series...
January 17, 2010
ditto
March 19, 2010
It was good but way too long. Will not read others in the series.
November 5, 2011
So much better than the first I think; enjoyed this book. Some very interesting characters and plot lines woven with a background of history that I knew little about. great stuff!
June 25, 2012
I devoured this book. It was dericious.
April 5, 2013
sucks me in as much as the first one did
March 20, 2016
Histoical erotic fantasy.
June 18, 2016
Giving up on page 245. This book started out so good but it just keeps going on and on and on and none of the characters are likeable imo. I just don't care. I tried. That's all I got.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews